From the Fraternity’s Journey to Alexandria
With great joy and anticipation, a group of eighteen missionary members, led by Mr. Charalambos Metallidis, president of the Orthodox External Mission Fraternity, set off. The journey to Egypt, to Alexandria, was for the purpose of attending the canonization of the founder of our Fraternity, now Saint Chrysostom Papasarantopoulos.
We arrived in Alexandria in the evening, after almost twelve hours of travel, tired but filled with pride to be in the city founded by Alexander the Great. This is also the seat of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.
On Wednesday morning, our first visit was to the Holy Monastery of Saint Savvas the Sanctified. His Eminence Metropolitan Germanos, whom we knew from Thessaloniki, was waiting for us and guided us through the monastery. The catholicon of the Holy Monastery, before becoming a place of Christian worship, was a pagan temple and was consecrated as a Christian church, dedicated to the Evangelist Mark, in the years 318-320 by Constantine the Great. Over the years, it suffered many destructions and renovations. Inside the church is the column from which, according to tradition, Saint Catherine was beheaded, as well as many relics of Saints. The Patriarchal School “Saint Athanasius” operates here, where African youths study to staff the Patriarchate in their countries of origin as future clergy.
Immediately after, we visited the residence of the poet Constantine Cavafy, the place where the great Alexandrian poet lived and created his wonderful works.
We continued our tour to the new Library of Alexandria, one of the most impressive architectural masterpieces of the 21st century. Its construction began in 2002 under the auspices of UNESCO and the Egyptian and Greek governments, with the aim of reviving the Ancient Library of Alexandria. Our day ended with Vespers at the Holy Monastery of Saint Savvas, beginning the preparation for the much-anticipated and significant Patriarchal Divine Liturgy.
On Thursday, 9/10, early in the morning, we were at the Church of Saint Savvas and devoutly attended the Divine Liturgy, presided over by His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros, with the participation of many hierarchs. Official Greeks from Egypt also attended, and many Orthodox Christians arrived from the surrounding areas, filling the church to capacity. The festive atmosphere of the day was completed with His Beatitude’s signing of the book of canonization of Saint Sylvester, Patriarch of Alexandria, and our Venerable God-bearing Father Chrysostom, the Missionary of Africa. In the end, His Beatitude honored the president of the Orthodox External Mission Fraternity, the members of the Board of Directors, and the member of the Filyro warehouse associates who were present, for their great, continuous, and multifaceted support for the Patriarchate’s work in Africa.
The president presented His Beatitude with an icon of Saint Chrysostom, painted by the former president of the Fraternity, Mr. Dimitrios Sotirkos. With great emotion and joy, we distributed the reissued book of Saint Chrysostom to all the hierarchs, who received it with great pleasure.
After the Patriarchal and Synodal Divine Liturgy, a magnificent event was held in honor of Saint Athanasius at a Greek venue, followed by a reception. After eating and enjoying ourselves, we visited the Patriarchate and were guided through the buildings and various halls by His Grace Bishop Damascene and his collaborating priest.
Pleased and satisfied with all the events of the Patriarchate, we returned to Cairo for our last night in Egypt.
Friday morning, we leave the hotel for a tour of Cairo. Our first stop is the Rotunda of Saint George in Old Cairo. With great admiration, we watch His Eminence Savvas guide us through the monument, the underground floors, the Byzantine museum, the tombs of the Patriarchs, and the Nilometer, a well that measures the level of the Nile. There lies the tomb of the martyrs Gabriel and Kermydoli, who suffered a martyr’s death in the year 1516.
Next, crossing the Greek cemetery, which testifies to and preserves glorious memories of Hellenism in Egypt, we arrive at the Church of the Virgin Mary with its holy spring in the basement. Here is the sacred Cave where the Holy Family was hosted during their flight to Egypt and remained until Herod died.
Next stop: the Pyramids and the Sphinx. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Pyramid of Cheops, and next to it two other large pyramids, were tombs of the Pharaohs.
The last visit was to the world’s largest new museum, housing the most famous treasures of Egyptian history.
A quick pass through some markets, and at 10 PM, dinner on a floating restaurant on the Nile, with the enchanting Cairo as a backdrop. In the early morning hours, we transferred to Cairo airport for our return to Greece.
Our experiences from this journey to Egypt were unique and will remain unforgettable. May Saint Chrysostom, who gave his life for the mission, intercede for us and help us in our missionary work.
Penelope Tziarou
